Hillsborough County Uses Online Survey to Discern Transportation Needs

To better anticipate future transportation needs, the Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) has partnered with Social Pinpoint to create an online survey to inform the TPO’s long-range transportation plan (LRTP).

The county’s Access 2050 LRTP aims to create a blueprint anticipating 25 years of transportation system needs and projects. To help define the plan, the TPO is asking for resident input via its Access 2050 Transportation Survey.

“By gathering community feedback through the survey, we are able to develop transportation plans that represent the unique needs of our community,” a TPO spokesperson wrote via email. “Currently, we have received responses from over 3,000 community members with a wide range of demographics.”

TPO staff used Social Pinpoint’s community engagement platform to create the survey and is working with consultants to compile, analyze, interpret and draw conclusions from the results.

“The data analysis will be conducted in tandem with our in-house analysts directing the consultants to produce specific statistics,” the TPO spokesperson wrote. “With those statistics, our team will be responsible for interpretation and ensuring that those results inform the decision-making process of our local governments and officials.”

Draft results will help build the cost-feasible portion of the LRTP. After that, transportation officials will present an analysis and summary report of the survey to the TPO board. On Oct. 16, the board will hear and adopt the final report at a special public hearing.

“The Access 2050 Transportation Survey is a key component of the TPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan,” the spokesperson wrote. “Translating the plan into action will require funding, good planning, design, engineering and execution — everyone plays a role in bringing the plan to life.”